Mamma Meh
I paid money to see Mamma Mia! at the Grove last night. As the Grove crowd skews younger, it was no surprise that management was showing this hideously spirited goofaholic musical in one of their smallest theatres (and The Dark Knight in four much larger houses). But what a surreal trip this thing is. I started to quietly flip out within minutes. The mood was appropriately "fun" and spritzy and all, but at the same time it felt like bad mescaline. I probably had an "uh-oh" look on my face. Fearful deer eyes, mouth half open.
Ultra-bright sunwash sound-stage lighting....
...that I first saw in Steven Spielberg's Hook
I'm not talking about the bubbly girlie vibe that wears you down like a happy jackhammer. That's just the director, Phyllida Lloyd, trying to give the film a unified emotional tone. I'm talking about the incompetent look and substandard craft of Mamma Mia!. Top to bottom, this sucker is poorly shot, poorly lit, poorly cut, poorly green-screened. It's been made for the mostly female "easy lays" (ABBA fans, musical fans, those who've seen the stage show) who aren't looking for much more than tunes and buoyancy and "hah-hah!"
Even if you know nothing about good filmmaking craft, a film that looks as weird as Mamma Mia! creates an "off" atmosphere that is difficult to describe. You have to sit through to really get it, I think. It would lead anyone to ask a series of Hamlet-like questions, I would think. As in "What is this? What's wrong? Why do I feel so badly? Why does this movie look and feel flagrantly fake?"
The most bothersome thing for me was the fake sunshine lighting, necessitated by Lloyd and her dp, Haris Zambarloukos, deciding to shoot portions of the story, which is set on a small Greek island, on a sound stage at England's Pinewood Studios.
I hated this indoor hot-sunwash effect when I first saw it 17 years ago in Steven Spielberg's Hook, which was shot by Dean Cundey. It looks precisely like what it is -- an artificial simulation of sunlight that mandates a sense of profound unreality, and in so doing drives you half mad.
Otherwise I agree that Meryl Streep has given her worst performance ever in this thing. She overdoes the frenetic high spirits, rolling around and mugging and eyelash-batting and shooting her arms and feet out out at every turn. As N.Y. Times critic A.O. Scott said, "There is a degree of fascination in watching an Oscar-winning Yale School of Drama graduate mug and squirm, shimmy and shriek and generally fill every moment with antic, purposeless energy, as if she were hogging the spotlight in an eighth-grade musical."
And yes, I still blame Osama bin Laden for this.
The crowd I saw it with was laughing, chuckling, into it, having a good old time. They laughed so loudly at times that I actually turned around and glared, partly confused ("what are you laughing at, for heaven's sake?") and partly annoyed. Mamma Mia! isn't for people like me -- I get that. I just don't understand why someone in the chain of command didn't say, "Why don't we get someone who really knows from screen musicals to direct this thing?"
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 20, 2008 at 9:14 AM
comment #1
berg says ...
forget it Jake, it's Universaltown
Posted by berg at July 20, 2008 10:58 AM
comment #2
js1 says ...
100% agree with you, Jeff. I'd also love to agree with the A.O. Scott review, but he and a couple others are trying to be half-ripping, half-defending the film. No defense here; it's trash through and through.
Posted by js1 at July 20, 2008 11:00 AM
comment #3
MickTravis says ...
Although it's never used in exteriors, I think the bedroom interiors in "The English Patient" do a great job of selling the sunwash soundstage lighting.
Posted by MickTravis at July 20, 2008 11:12 AM
comment #4
lazespud says ...
Lloyd directed it because Universal wasn't given a choice. The owners and producers of the mega-billion Mamma Mia! franchise said Lloyd directs the thing or it doesn't get made. So Universal blinked and said OK.
Can you blame them? The movie can't have cost that much money, and if there is any musical that's going to succeed in the transition to film (in terms of money-making), this is going to be it. It's basically critic-proof, so who cares if the director and DP don't know a flipping thing about putting together a film? (That's probably the thinking of the studio).
Posted by lazespud at July 20, 2008 11:17 AM
comment #5
lazespud says ...
Almost forgot:
I'm a big fan of dismissive headlines for pans of movies. Your headline almost got it, but the headline I'm looking for is "Meh mia".
Posted by lazespud at July 20, 2008 11:20 AM
comment #6
George Prager says ...
This woman at Starbucks asked for some decaffeinated tea. They showed her the selections. They suggested Calm Tea. She asked: "Are you sure it's decaf? I can't have caffeine"
"It's camomile tea," the barista replied. "I promise you that it doesn't have caffeine in it. Why else would they call it 'Calm'?"
"Can I look at the box just to make sure?"
Posted by George Prager at July 20, 2008 11:34 AM
comment #7
RT says ...
Jeff, sorry, you're throwing the baby out with the bathwater. You were ready to hate this thing from the get-go, so not surprised at all. Mamma Mia! is not that bad, though many are taking joy in painting it as such this weekend.
STREEP's performance is not all zaniness. Did you listen to and watch her during The Winner Takes it All or Slipping Through My Fingers? Her work in those back-to-back songs is superb, and she drags the quality of the film up a few notches in the final reel.
She has some moving and subtle (a novelty for this movie) moments in those 2 songs and they are a textbook example of investing acting in song. She makes effective drama from those two scenes. The scene on the cliff is pretty undeniable, and is staged simply and without clutter or noise unlike the rest of the film.
It seems unfair to trash her entire performance here because in the "girl" scenes she performs at a level of mania encouraged by the material, tone, director and the rest of the cast. It is certainly intentional.
She has a fine sense of comedy which has been seen all the way back to a miserable film like She Devil and on display in Death Becomes Her, Postcards from the Edge, Devil Wears Prada and others.
Perhaps you feel it was a miscalculated performance, but it is not "bad" and Streep got exactly what she was going for. I know many would love to see her stumble, but her performance in this movie is inspired in many different ways.
The film is indeed "fun" at times, aggressive at other times, filled with hysterics but generating an pretty obvious goodwill and throw-away charm that suits the lightness of the material and its threadbare farce.
Lloyd shouldn't have directed it and there is a lot to complain about technically, but Streep shouldn't be on that list. Without her performance, the film is literally nothing.
Posted by RT at July 20, 2008 11:42 AM
comment #8
George Prager says ...
Shorter RT: "Hey Jeff...see that pile of dogshit on the sidewalk that you just stepped in? It wasn't all shit. Did you see all the corn in it? Dogs can't digest corn. Who fed that dog all that corn?"
Posted by George Prager at July 20, 2008 11:52 AM
comment #9
EOTW says ...
Streep really knows how to pick them. All of her recent work (APHC aside) have been shallow and crap. She's the female equal of De Niro (lately) and a scumbag to boot.
Posted by EOTW at July 20, 2008 11:58 AM
comment #10
George Prager says ...
I agree with the shallow and crap part, EOTW (real name Billy Bob Berkowitz), but the scumbag part escapes me. Did she sell drugs outside of an elementary school or something? Please elaborate.
Posted by George Prager at July 20, 2008 12:01 PM
comment #11
RT says ...
"She's the female equal of De Niro (lately) and a scumbag to boot."
Thanks for adding value to the conversation.
Posted by RT at July 20, 2008 12:02 PM
comment #12
Chase Kahn says ...
I wouldn't accept payment to see MAMMA MIA! I understand the thing isn't made for me, but I wouldn't be able to stand the sweat-pants, soccer mom, out of college girl croud that will eat that crap up.
Posted by Chase Kahn at July 20, 2008 12:06 PM
comment #13
bachelorcool says ...
Obama Mia! - now I'd pay to see THAT.
Posted by bachelorcool at July 20, 2008 12:07 PM
comment #14
Zimmergirl says ...
Gee, shocker! I expected this type of post from you about Crystal Skull and you shouldn't have bothered seeing Mamma Mia because you were already primed to hate it. Yeah, it's a bad movie but there are moments that enjoyable and funny and the cast is not taking it all very seriously so why should you? The movie won me over in the very last moments -- I just thought, fuck it: they're having some fun.
But it is most certainly NOT a movie for you. And that's okay: not all of them have to be. Mamma Mia had something to offer that other just plain bad movies (like Meet Dave, Crystal Skull, etc.) don't: fun for the sake of it and maybe for only the over-40 women. Who knows, who cares. I don't believe in the kind of Nazi tribalism that goes on here: you're either with us or against us. Meh. Life awaits.
Posted by Zimmergirl at July 20, 2008 12:08 PM
comment #15
Mgmax says ...
"Even if you know nothing about good filmmaking craft, a film that looks as weird as Mamma Mia! creates an "off" atmosphere that is difficult to describe."
Reminds me of a great quote, I think it was Roger E.: at a certain point every bad movie stops being a movie and becomes a documentary about actors trapped in a bad movie.
Posted by Mgmax at July 20, 2008 12:49 PM
comment #16
Mark G. says ...
MM! is surely badly directed, but La Streep was great in it, especially during "The Winner Takes It All" which moved me a lot. And I left the theater with a grin on my face - a grin which I had on for about 90 % of the movie.
But I knew far in advance that Jeff the Grinch wouldn't like the movie because why would he like feel-good-movies?
Posted by Mark G. at July 20, 2008 1:02 PM
comment #17
broadstreetbully says ...
Wells, I laughed out loud multiple times reading this review. Fantastic writing.
"hideously spirited goofaholic musical". Inspired.
Posted by broadstreetbully at July 20, 2008 1:44 PM
comment #18
broadstreetbully says ...
And in a perfect world, the phrase "wears you down like a happy jackhammer" would appear in the movie's advertising. Bravo.
Posted by broadstreetbully at July 20, 2008 1:47 PM
comment #19
raskimono says ...
i would just like to say I consider Mamma Mia! to be one of the worst musicals I've ever seen and I am such a big Abba fan and saw the musical on the London stage. I saw it in England last week and think it is one of the most incompetent movies I've seen. The singing by all is awful. The reorchestrations and pitch changes combined with awkward singing key changes make the songs sound strange. Phyllida Lloyd should never be allowed to direct a movie, ever again. She has no idea what she was doing. I thought it was worse than Xanadu, Can't stop the music and a whole lot of big screen musicals I've seen. It's Grease 2 bad. And no, Meryl Streep does not nail the Winner Takes it all number. It out of pitch and strains to get the notes. It's also shot with only 3 angles and sits like a turkey. A disaster for all involved. But it's Hollywood. All anyone cares is that it's going to make a profit. What awfulness!I
Posted by raskimono at July 20, 2008 1:54 PM
comment #20
Doug Pratt says ...
Having not seen either the stage show or the film, I have a question. How similar is the plot to Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell?
Posted by Doug Pratt at July 20, 2008 1:54 PM
comment #21
JChasse says ...
"I wouldn't be able to stand the sweat-pants, soccer mom, out of college girl crowd that will eat that crap up."
Then just you wait... there was a teaser for "Marley and Me" that consists of a dog running along the each to the strains of Vangelis' "Chariots of Fire" theme, followed by Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston chasing the dog yelling "Marley!" People actually were saying "That looks like a good movie." I told my wife that if I were dating someone who said they wanted to see it, I would break it off then and there.
Posted by JChasse at July 20, 2008 3:29 PM
comment #22
The Winchester says ...
"People actually were saying "That looks like a good movie." I told my wife that if I were dating someone who said they wanted to see it, I would break it off then and there."
I did the same thing when the girl I was dating told me she really wanted to see Cheaper By the Dozen 2.
Posted by The Winchester at July 20, 2008 4:18 PM
comment #23
Reedyb says ...
When it started, which is pretty ineptly, I thought of Rocky Horror. Then, the movie settled down and so did I.
Yes, I must be shallow, but I didn't go into this thinking anything other than "show me a good time." Jeez, it did that all the way through (at least after the first chorus of Mamma Mia.
No apologies here. Streep was excellent! She played it in the same key as everyone else, which was to have FUN!
If only someone had pissed in my Wheaties this morning, then maybe I could be a hater, too.
Posted by Reedyb at July 20, 2008 4:36 PM
comment #24
Leonardcoenbrothers says ...
I'm not saying that I disagree about some of the technical aspects of this movie, but I have to say that in its own way its good goofy fun. I also have to say that it got the most enthusiastic, rollicking reaction I've seen in a movie in a long time. Sure its tempting to feel superior, but, really, there are worst things than making people smile and giving them a good time.
Posted by Leonardcoenbrothers at July 20, 2008 4:55 PM
comment #25
Christian Licorice says ...
I simply refuse to believe that Mamma Mia is worse than She Devil...
Posted by Christian Licorice at July 20, 2008 5:00 PM
comment #26
Richard2001 says ...
....and we all know Jeff will be jacking off all over Rod Lurie's next turd that hit's the screen
Posted by Richard2001 at July 20, 2008 5:52 PM
comment #27
The Winchester says ...
The big question in my mind for those that have seen it: Is it more or less inept a motion picture than The Producers from a few years ago?
Posted by The Winchester at July 20, 2008 6:25 PM
comment #28
berkguru says ...
You would get a boot to the face if you ever turned around and glared at me during a movie for the simple sin of enjoying it.
Posted by berkguru at July 20, 2008 7:19 PM
comment #29
EOTW says ...
GP: I can't do it all for you. Look it up. I stick by my scumbag verdict from here on out on Streep. You make me laugh, man! BBB out!
Posted by EOTW at July 20, 2008 7:31 PM
comment #30
nemo says ...
How can anyone pay money to see a movie with Streep wearing those mother-freaking cut-off overalls? She looks like a midde-aged toddler.
Posted by nemo at July 20, 2008 9:19 PM
comment #31
George Prager says ...
Just googled cumbag "meryl streep" and Debbie Schlussel's website came up on page 4, but you don't want to go there do you, BBB(End Of The World)? I'll just chalk it up to right wing sensitivity/
Posted by George Prager at July 21, 2008 5:31 AM
comment #32
johnc says ...
I would say Mamma Mia! is about on the same level as The Producers in terms of inept staging and shooting. I found it marginally more tolerable because it's such an obvious goof and it's a bit shorter.
Posted by johnc at July 21, 2008 7:44 AM
comment #33
Rob says ...
You're right in pointing out how awful the film looks. How does a movie this ineptly shot and edited make it to 3,000 screens in this state? If you insist on hiring an inexperienced hack director, don't you at least set her up with a decent editor and DP?
I would have loved to have seen Julie Taymor have a go at this.
Posted by Rob at July 21, 2008 7:45 AM
comment #34
Tim says ...
"It would lead anyone to ask a series of Hamlet-like questions, I would think. As in "What is this? What's wrong? Why do I feel so badly? Why does this movie look and feel flagrantly fake?"
Great line.
Posted by Tim at July 21, 2008 8:58 AM
comment #35
Strangeways says ...
scumbag?
shallow and crap?
Really?
Her major films since the year 2000:
Adaptation (Spike Jonze) AA nom
The Hours (Daldry)
Angels in America (Nichols) Emmy win
The Manchurian Candidate (Demme)
A Prairie Home Companion (Altman)
The Devil Wears Prada (David Frankel) AA nom
Rendition (Gavin Hood)
Lions for Lambs (Redford)
Doubt (Shanley)
Julie & Julia (Ephron)
All major films, not necessarily great, but either with important directors/writers/co-stars and "Prada", based on a best-selling book and her biggest hit. The only one on the list to receive uniformly negative reviews, was Lions for Lambs.
The only pure crap she's done was Prime and Mamma Mia. Prime bombed but MM will probably do $200 million worldwide, minimum. Oh, and I see nothing embarassing about her cameo in Lemmony Snicket; it's an acceptable family film with big performances.
I guess she should have turned down all these commercial roles to focus on star turns in serious films. Of course, the only problem is, there AREN'T many "acceptable", leading roles for women over 50. And, she usually gets the few that are out there...
AND, as for Mamma Mia, it's campy trash with great music and pretty scenery; it's not pretending to be anything else. (And the sold out screening I attended was a mixture of the geighs, the girls and quite a few young couples and families; I sat next to a six year and his 30ish mom who both had a great time)
Posted by Strangeways at July 21, 2008 12:08 PM
comment #36
EOTW says ...
GP, don't bother trying to uncover what EOTW stands for. So many have tried, and failed. Alas...
Posted by EOTW at July 21, 2008 7:35 PM